248 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Oct.  i,  1892. 
most  propitious  for  the  cultivation  of  the  Cinchonas. 
We  were  enabled  to  inspect  these  plantations  under  fa- 
vourable circumstances,  and  the  Director  of  the  Forests 
Department,  Monsieur  Neveu,  hoped  soon  to  be  enabled 
to  gather  a certain  quantity  of  bark.  Already  in  1889 
the  Director  of  Woods  and  Forests  had  been  able  to 
sell  a small  quantity.’ 
“ In  countries  like  the  Mascarenes,  where  fever  is 
so  common  and  endemic,  where  the  health  deterio- 
rates so  rapidly  in  constantly  fighting  against  the 
attacks  of  malarial  poison,  it  is  readily  conceivable  how 
useful  these  planta'i  >ns  of  quinine  will  become. 
“ We  must  not  conclude  these  few  pages,  treating 
of  the  agriculture  of  the  islands,  without  mentioning 
the  very  praiseworthy  efforts  made,  particularly  at 
Mauritius,  to  intro,  uce  the  cultivation  of  tea.  Whilst 
at  Reunion  coffee  is  consumed  in  great  quantities,  Mauri- 
tius, under  the  soft  influence  of  the  English  ladies, 
without  abandoning  the  traditional  1 cup  of  Creole 
coffee,’ whose  renown  is  so  justly  merited,  consumes  a 
great  quantity  of  tea.  Tbe  Chinese  population  is 
somewhat  numerous,  and  assists  a good  deal  in  this 
consumption.  In  1888  the  importation  of  tea  was  53,881 
kilogrammes,  amounting  to  a value  of  186,652  francs 
(£7,466).  Tbe*e  figures  induce  a certain  attention  to 
be  given  to  the  cultivation  of  tea,  especially  when  it  is 
known  that  localities  unsuitable  for  the  sngar-cane  are 
well  fitted  for  tea  plantations. 
“ At  Reunion,  in  the  Bruld  de  Saint  Denis,*  at  about 
1,000  feet  altitude,  we  have  seen  tea  plants  growing 
well,  uncultivated,  and  without  any  care  being  given 
to  them.  At  Mauritius,  on  the  high  ground  of  Oha- 
marel,  we  have  been  able  to  witness  the  same  circum- 
stance ; indeed,  many  of  the  high  plains  of  Reunion  are 
uncultivated  and  we  understand  that  sugar  cultivation 
has  been  abandoned  at  Ohamarel.  Could  not  such 
looalitieB  be  utilised  for  the  cultivation  of  tea  ? It  is 
useful  to  note  that  the  tea  cultivation  is  highly  bene- 
ficial, and  ought  to  pay  well.  The  example  of  Ceylon, 
before  quoted,  ought  to  act  as  a stimulant  for  the 
colonists  of  the  Macarenes. 
“ Some  praiseworthy  efforts,  we  repeat,  have  already 
been  attempted  at  Mauritius  ; in  fact,  beside  a Go- 
vernment plantation,  already  supplying  a well-perfumed 
and  agreeably-tasted  tea,  we  have  seen  a private 
plantation  started.  It  is  of  considerable  importance, 
and  we  are  convinced  that  it  will  give  good  results. 
«•  We  have  already  noticed  that  the  orography  of  the 
two  islands  is  different  ; we  ought  not,  therefore,  to 
be  astonished  to  find  their  floras  somewhat  unlike  one 
another. 
“ The  high  altitude  attained  by  the  mountains  of 
Reunion  determines  a variety  in  its  vegetation,  which 
loses  its  tropical  character,  and  assumes  a special 
physiognomy.  Here  we  see  small  stunted  shrubs,  with 
low  and  twisted  trunks,  nowhere  surpassing  the  height 
of  a man.  Here  are  mostly  the  Ericaceae  of  the  genus 
Philippia,  vulgarly  called  Ambavilles  (Heaths),  caus- 
ing the  creoles  to  give  to  these  highlands  tbe  name  of 
the  region  of  the  Ambavilles ; and  amidst  these 
Heaths  are  some  Acacias  here  and  there  (Acacia 
heterophylla). 
“ This  region  of  Heaths  is  found  at  about  5,000  feet 
elevation-  but  even  below,  from  3,000  feet  upwards, 
these  Heaths  begin  to  show  themselves,  and  predomi- 
nate more  and  more  over  the  other  forest  species  as 
you  ascend.  This  region  is  succeeded  below  by  a zone 
of  Bamboos,  Nastus  borbonicns,  whioh  has  been  well 
observed  and  described  by  Bory  de  Saint  Vinoent. 
Below  the  Bamboo  zone,  tbe  vegetation  of  the  island 
of  Reunion,  like  that  of  the  sister  island,  Mauritius, 
has  a physiognomy  eminently  tropical  ; in  these  lower 
regions  the  same  character  is  observable  in  the  two 
islands.  ‘ Since  the  publication  of  Mr.  Baker’s  well- 
known  work  on  the  Mauritius  floraf  in  certain  most 
* Places  where  the  lava  flows  have  streamed  down 
from  extinct  oraters  are  called  brulis  in  Reunion,  La 
■pays  brule.  or  Le  grand  brule,  is  the  district  still  devas. 
tated  by  tbe  recent  lava  steams  from  the  active  vol- 
cano S.  P . O. 
f Flora  of  Mauritius  and  the  Seychelles.  J.  G.  Baker, 
important  books,  like  that  of  Griesbach*  for  instanoe, 
different  estimates  are'given  of  the  dissemblance  be- 
tween the  floras  of  Mauritins  and  Reunion  ; we  cannot 
help  thinking  that  it  is,  as  yet,  difficult  to  pronounce 
authoritatively  on  this  assumed  want  of  resemblance, 
and  we  sincerely  hope  (hat  a flora  of  Reunion  as 
complete  as  that  of  Mauritus  by  Mr.  Baker,  may  be 
nndertaken  and  published,  in  order  that  these  ideas  on 
the  resemblances  and  dissemblances  of  the  floras  of  the 
two  Macarene  islands  may  be  definitely  fixed.  The 
large  collections  stored  for  a long  time  at  tbe  Museum 
of  P .ris  could  surely  furnish  all  the  necessary  material 
andelements  for  the  work.  [An  immense  number  of 
plants,  collected  by  Commereon,  yet  remains  all  but 
untouched.] 
“ The  point  of  departure  of  these  modern  ideas  is 
the  following  passage  in  the  work  of  Mr.  Baker  : — 
‘In  its  orography  and  botaDy,  Mauritius  offers  a striking 
contrast  with  Bourbon  and  Madagascar,  where  the 
highest  mouDtain-tops  are  in  the  centre  of  the  island, 
attaining  a height  of  10,000  or  12,000  feet,  covered  with 
snow  during  several  months  (p.  14).’  This  is  going 
rather  far  in  its  conclusions,  at  least  as  regards  Re- 
union. In  this  island,  it  is  true,  the  Piton  des  Neiges 
rises  to  10,000  feet,  but  it  is  seldom  covered  with  snow 
(in  1890,  the  year  of  our  visit  to  the  MasoareDes.it  was 
Dot  so  covered)  : as  to  tbe  mountains  of  Madagascar, 
which  are  not  higher  than  the  Piton  des  Neiges,  we 
donbt  if  they  are  often  covered  with  enow.  [Snow  is 
unknown  as  remaining  on  the  highest  mountains  of 
Madagascar.  The  highest  peaks  are  those  of  the 
Ankaratra  mountains,  only  about  8,000  feet,  far  below 
the  limit  of  perpetual  snow-liDe.  A few  flakes  of 
snow,  and  a rare  shower  or  two  of  hail,  have  been  re- 
corded on  the  highest  regioos  of  Madagascar,  with 
hoar-frost,  but  nothing  more.] 
“On  the  other  hand,  all  the  plants  introduced  into 
Mauritius,  and  which  are  there  naturalised,  are  also 
naturalised  in  Reunion.  The  fruit  trees  are  the  same 
in  the  two  islands;  we  give  the  following  as  the 
most  important: — The  Anons,  A.  squamosa,  L .,  which 
furnishes  the  Atte,  or  Custard  Apple  ; A.  muricata, 
L.,  or  Corossol,  the  Sour-sop ; A.  reticulata,  which 
produces  the  Cceur-de-bceuf  or  Sugar  App’e.  Tbe 
Oitrus,  amongst  which  we  may  specify  (he  large 
fruits  of  the  Cit:us  decumana,  tbe  Shaddock  or  Pam- 
plemoussej  the  Mangifera  indica,  L.,  or  Mango,  in  very 
numerious  varie(ies.t  The  Spondias  dulcis,  Forster, 
which  yields  the  Hdvis  or  Fruit  of  Cythera,  the 
Otaheite  Apple,  introduced  from  the  South  Paoific 
by  Commerson  (after  Bougainville’s  return  voyage); 
several  Myrtacae,  amongst  which  the  Eugenia  Jambos, 
L.,  or  Jambose  and  Psidium  Guayava,  or  Guava,  are 
very  common  ; the  first  growing  on  the  sides  of  the 
smallest  streams,  and  the  second  in  uncultivated 
fields.  The  Persea  gratissima  or  Avocado  Pear  ; (he 
Papayes  of  the  Carica  Papaya,  so  common  that  pigs 
are  fed  on  them.  The  fruit  of  the  Nephelium,  N.  Lit- 
Chi.  of  Cambessedes,  and  Nephelium  Longana  of  Oam- 
bessedes,  the  Letchi  or  Ljchee  from  China.  Several 
Artooarpus,  particularly  A.  integrifolia,  L.,  or  Jack- 
tree,  which  furnishes  from  its  enormous  fruits  a seed 
recalling  to  mind  the  Chestnut  in  taste ; the  Musa  or 
Banana,  &o. 
“Besides  the  fruit  trees,  the  vegetation  of  the  un- 
cultivated fields  is  the  same  in  the  two  islands  ; there 
are  the  Leucsena  glauca,  Bentb.,  or  Acacia  ; the  Tet- 
ranthera  lanrifolia,  Jacq.,  or  Bois  d’oiBeaux,  Birdwood; 
* La  Vegetation  du  Globe.  Par  Grisebach  ; transla- 
tion by  P.  Tchihatohef. 
f The  Mangos,  which  are  moBt  appreciated  in  Mau- 
ritius, include  tbe  following  named  species,  viz.,  Man- 
gue  Alphonse,  M.  Aristide,  M.  Auguste,  M.  Bombay, 
M.  Bourbon,  M.  Charpentier,  M.  Collard,  M.  Colville, 
M.  Dauphicd,  M.  Eiget,  M.  gelde,  M.  Geneve,  M.  Goa 
or  M.  Madame,  M,  Lartique,  M.  Legal,  M.  Maison 
Rouge,  M.  Papaye,  M.  rosa,  M.  Sabre,  M.  Torse.  Of 
these,  Mangue  Auguste  and  Mangue  Geneve  are  by 
far  the  most  tempting;  a most  luscious  and  delicious 
fruit,  with  absence  of  the  turpentine  flavour  which 
clten  disgusts  European  visitors  who  take  the  first 
Mango  they  come  across. 
